RAS AL-KHAIMAH (alternatively RA\'SAL-KHAYMAH or RAS EL-KHEIMA;
Arabic : رأس الخيمة‎‎; IPA: ) is one of the seven
emirates that make up the
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates (UAE). The current
statehood is the result of the 1909 appanage from
SharjahSharjah . Its name
could be taken to mean "headland of the small huts", which can be
attributed to the indigenous buildings that existed along the coast.
The emirate is in the northern part of the UAE, bordering
OmanOman 's
exclave of
Musandam . It covers an area of 1,684 square km. The
capital city and home of most residents is also called Ras Al Khaimah.
The emirate had a population of 210,063 at the 2005 Census, of which
41.82 percent or 87,848 were Emirati citizens. Latest estimates put
the total population at between 250,000 and 300,000. Locals accounted
for 97,529 in the population estimate for 2010.

The city has two main sections, Old Ras Al Khaimah and Nakheel, on
either side of a creek. It is served by the Ras Al Khaimah
International Airport . It consists of a northern part (where the city
of
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah is situated), and a large inland exclave in the
south (near Hatta ), and a few small islands in the
Persian GulfPersian Gulf .
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah has the most fertile soil in the country, due to a
larger share in rainfall and underground water streams from Omani
mountains.

Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah has been the site of human habitation for several
millennia and there are many historical and archaeological sites
throughout the emirate - local sources cite 1,000 - dating from
different time periods, including remnants of the Umm an-Nar Culture
(3rd millennium BC). Ancient graves were found in the
EmirateEmirate in
October 2012.

Further, archaeological evidence has demonstrated that the settlement
known as Julfar shifted location over time as harbour channels silted
up. Excavations of a sizable tell, which revealed remnants of a
Sassanid era fortification, indicate that early Julfar was located in
the north of Ras Al-Khaimah, not far from other sites of
historical/archaeological interest such as 'Sheba's Palace' and the
largest Umm an-Nar tombs found on the
Arabian PeninsulaArabian Peninsula . Sources say
that Julfar was inhabited by the
Azd (a branch of the
Kahlan tribe)
during the eighth and ninth centuries AD, and that the houses of the
Azd were built of wood.

There is considerable debate locally regarding the 18th-century
charge of maritime piracy, attracting the British label 'The Pirate
Coast' to the Eastern Gulf before a series of treaties in 1820, 1853
and, in 1892, the Perpetual Maritime Truce led to it being known as
the 'Trucial Coast '.

In the Battle of Ras Al Khaimah of 1809, the
Al Qasimi fleet was
largely destroyed. The British operation continued to Linga on the
Persian coast which was, like the
Greater and Lesser Tunbs islands,
administered by the
Al Qasimi . The attack on Ras Al Khaimah resulted
in the destruction of the tower of the 16th century Dhayah Fort whose
remains can be seen at Rams in northern Ras Al Khaimah. In January
1820, the British imposed the
General Maritime Treaty of 1820 signed
by Sheikh Sultan Bin Saqr
Al Qasimi who was reinstated by the British
in Ras Al Khaimah after the deposition of Hasan Bin Rahma . The
treaty stipulated the end of piracy and slavery, and laid the
foundation for the British protectorate over the
Trucial StatesTrucial States that
lasted until 1971. In 1869, Ras Al Khaimah became fully independent
from neighbouring
SharjahSharjah . However, from September 1900 to 7 July
1921, it was re-incorporated into Sharjah; the last governor became
its next independent ruler.

On 10 February 1972, Ras al-Khaimah, under the leadership of Sheikh
Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qasimi , joined the United Arab Emirates.

In 1975, the total population of Ras Al Khaimah was 43,845 of which
29,613 were nationals and 14,232 were foreigners. This figure
increased to 73,918 (39,148 locals; 34,770 foreigners) in 1980, 96,578
in 1985, 143,334 in 1995, and 210,063 in 2005. The current total
population is estimated to be between 250,000 and 300,000 people,
nationals and foreigners.

TOWNS AND SETTLEMENTS

Important towns, settlements and areas include:

*
Al Jazirah Al HamraAl Jazirah Al Hamra – an old coastal town with numerous real
estate projects and industrial zone
*
Ar-Rams – a coastal town; in the past, a typical fishing and
pearl-diving village
*
Khawr Khuwayr – an industrial zone, with the largest port in Ras
al-Khaimah and numerous companies such as a cement factory
*
Diqdaqah – a village known for agriculture activities
*
KhattKhatt – a village surrounded by mountains, famous for its
thermal springs and palm gardens
*
Masafi – a town in the south, on the border with
FujairahFujairah ; well
known for drinking water
*
Huwaylat – a central village in the south

CLIMATE

Ras al-Khaimah's desert climate (
Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification BWh)
is hot and arid with very hot summers and mild winters. The average
temperature is 18 to 25 °C (64 to 77 °F) in January and 29 to 43 °C
(84 to 109 °F) in July. However, temperatures often reach 45 °C in
the summer; the highest recorded temperature is 48.8 °C (119.8 °F).
The humidity is usually high in the summer months. Rains and
thunderstorms occur rarely, and only in winter. Snow has been reported
in December 2004, January 2009 and February 2017 in the high
mountains of Ras al-Khaimah. Temperatures as low as -3 °C have been
measured at the peak of Jebel Jais.

* Real Estate – numerous residential areas, offices, commercial
buildings are constructed in Ras al-Khaimah.
* Tourism –
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah is becoming a new destination on
tourist maps.
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah is home to five star hotels and beach
resorts including Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Rotana or Banyan Tree. It
has a number of 4 and 3 star accommodations. In September 2010, first
water park Ice Land was opened to offer leisure opportunity for both
residents and visitors and more new tourism projects are under
construction.
* Building materials –
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah opened the UAE's first
cement company in the early 1970s and is now the UAE's largest
producer of cement. In the 1980s, the emirate formed Ras al-Khaimah
Ceramics , which has become one of the world's largest ceramics
producers.
* Manufacturing and High-Tech Industry – In the 1980s, the emirate
formed
Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries (Julphar) , the Persian Gulf
region's first pharmaceuticals company. Falcon Technologies
International (FTI) represents high-tech industry and produces optical
storage media (CDR,DVDR, BDR). In 2012, Innovative Composite
Engineering was established in the Industrial Free-zone to manufacture
high end composite products (aerospace, construction parts).
* Service sector – recently growing sector with its prominent RAK
Bank and RAK Insurance companies.
* Agriculture and Fisheries – in the past, these were the main
economy sectors of Ras al-Khaimah. Nowadays they are still significant
providing foodstuff not only for the
EmirateEmirate but for the whole
country.

TAXATION AND COMPANIES LAW

New legislation and regulations favour international investments. The
combination of security and confidentiality is ensured to
entrepreneurs. An international company may only have foreign
customers and is not liable for paying local taxes. It can open a
local bank account, make investments tax-free, and obtain mortgages
for investing in UAE assets. Employment visas are available. When
approved, this type of company can own property in UAE free-trade
zones.

No income, sales, or wealth taxes are payable by individuals. No
corporate taxes are charged. In addition, there are no exchange
controls, no withholding nor import or export taxes.

CULTURE

The UAE culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and
traditional Arab culture. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on
its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle are very
prominent as well. Five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer
from the minarets of mosques which are scattered around the country.
Since 2006, the weekend has been Friday-Saturday, as a compromise
between Friday's holiness to Muslims and the Western weekend of
Saturday-Sunday. It should be noted however that a great majority of
the population are non national citizens, coming from India, Pakistan,
and a wide range of nations.

The annual
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah Half Marathon , first held in 2007, has
called the attention of the world's sporting media to the region. The
organisers invest much in the
IAAFIAAF -labeled race in order to attract
the world's top athletes, resulting in a world record from Samuel
Wanjiru in 2007 and the second fastest run of all-time from Patrick
Makau Musyoki in 2009.

UAE Awafi FestivalUAE Awafi Festival – a yearly festival in the Ras al-Khaimah
desert, focusing mainly on the Arabic public. It is a three-week
event, held in December or January, the main attraction being a
dramatic sand dune race by the strongest 4-wheel drivers of the UAE.
There is a heritage village with traditional food and dance, as well
as shops for food and souvenirs. There is also a petting zoo and lots
of games for children. The entry is free of charge, and many families
bring picnics to enjoy whilst watching the cars battling it out over
the sand dunes.

Terry Fox Run RAK – a yearly charity run organized in Ras
al-Khaimah to support cancer research in the UAE. The first event was
organized in 2010 (short movie from 1st RAKTFR event). Participation
of this event has grown from hundreds to thousands since its
inception.

INFRASTRUCTURE

TRANSPORTATION

A trilingual signboard in RAK

Within
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah city, the main mode of transport are metered
taxis, with public buses operating on long-haul routes and catering
mainly to smaller towns (e.g. Sha`am, Ar-Rams, and Al Jazirah Al
Hamra). A local bus service operated by RAK Transport Authority
provides infrequent connections between Nakheel, Al Hamra and the
airport.

Three dual-carriageways link
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah with the other emirates
and beyond. One follows the coast with beaches on one side and
stretches of desert on the other; the other, a new route, runs out
towards the airport in the direction of Khatt, Masafi, Fujairah,
Dhaid, and eventually Oman.

The Emirates Road (E311 Highway) traverses the emirates of Umm Al
Quwain ,
AjmanAjman (for 60 km (37 mi) of its length) and
SharjahSharjah (for 71
km (44 mi) of its length) to finally end up in
DubaiDubai (for 87 km (54
mi) of its length). The highway allows journeys from
Ras al-KhaimahRas al-Khaimah to
DubaiDubai in under 45 minutes. The highway is being extended further till
Saqr Port to allow direct flow of traffic from the southern emirates,
the extension was scheduled to be completed by 2014. In spring 2013
work on the 32-kilometre (20 mi) RAK Ring Road which will bypass the
city and connect the quarries and factories of the north coast with
the 311 motorway was held up by a three-month rescue excavation after
the discovery of megalithic tombs dating to the Wadi Suq period, from
2000 to 1600 BC.

Saqr Port, located in the industrial area of Khawr Khuwayr, is the
emirate's main port, providing bulk and container services. It has
eight deep-water berths, each 200 m (660 ft) long, is dredged to 12.2
m (40 ft) and has two "ro-ro " ramps plus specialised berths for
handling bulk cement and aggregate. Other services include
ship-handling, crew changes, and 40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft) of covered
storage, together with a vast open storage area. It is also the
closest port in the UAE to
Bandar Abbas ,
IranIran , but there is no
shipping from Saqr port to Bandar Abbas.